labor cost

Thanx for your reply. I wasnt necessarily looking for a $ rate. I wanted to be able to convert the suggested repair pal labor charge range to labor hours. for example $1000 labor / $100 hr = 10 hours labor. Im gonna browse Chilton. (Ps I used Chilton guide working on my first car in 1953...a 1949 Studebaker...no DIY since)

Thank you Roy best price isnt always the best deal. Unless you have all the numbers youre just grabbing low number.

very true. like any estimates, you throw out the high and low and work with the ones in the middle. Good luck Roy

Zee a mechanic gets $15/hr add 30% payroll oh = say $20/hr mechanic cost.. Little Mr shop owner puts $70/hr in his pocket. Some of them sobs should go to jail to set any example Never went to a shop or dealer unless the car was still under warrantee. I always look for a mechanic doing weekend sidework at home. But you need the facts to make sure you aint getting a screw job

I know what you mean. The only problem in some cases that most mechanic who works on the side may not have the equipment that required to do the job right. Most good shops pays 30-40% of the shop rate to their good mechanic, while an apprentice starts with about $12. Now if you think about this, a good tech who earns about 1000-1200 / week won't touch a wrench on the weekend and I'm sure I don't want a lube tech work on my expensive car. Believe me, shop owners won't pocket $70/hr. They still have lots of overhead (even if it's less than dealership's) to pay for. Good shop owners will see the importance of the continuous training of their tech, which cost a lot. Beside that, there is a lot to pay for insurance, utilities, rent, various diagnostic computers, their updates and special tools. A shade tree or a weekend tech probably won't pay $800 for a BMW clutch aligner tool that he may use 2-3 times a year. Anyway, when I worked for a shop who paid for my extra training whenever I signed up - no question asked - and treated me good, I had a moral obligation not to steal their clients and believe me, I received numerous request. In my point of view the weekend is for the family and fun. I truly believe in "you get what you paid for" so I pay premium price for my things, tools and services and I expect quality. And the reason is? Because I'm not rich and I can't afford to pay for the same thing over and over again. Just my 2 cents. Zee

well put. Roy

Zee you sound like a good guy the only problem is you think taking $100/hr from some little old lady with a 7 yr old car is justified. Just like these motels that charge $150/nite for example. At the rip off rates, the motel is paid off the 1st year and them its pure gouging If people would stop paying those crazy prices the unfair prices would come down to a decent level. As far as your expensive cars and special tools, most tools can be rented for a repair. Reminds me when I went in to an Audi dealer for an 8oz can of brake fluid..they wanted to charge me $18.00. They told me the Audi was a very "tempermental!" car that needed special brake fluid. I told them to shove it. I went got some dot at the Zone for #3.00. Auto repair is a big rip off. Anyway..you sound like a good guy. You aint in a Union are you? Best regards

I don't want to start a debate here -it's not a political forum- but since you asked, here is my answer: I use to work in Union County, but no, Sir, I'm not in a Union and never will be. I believe in education, productivity, quality and everyone should be compensated accordingly. I'm a whole hearted capitalist - maybe because I grown up in a communist country and I hated the system? If someone sets up a shop, his suppliers won't ask him if he will work on little old ladies 7 y/o cars perhaps young collage kids' 20 y/o Volvo, nor landlords or utility companies will care. Everyone wants to be compensated. I don't want to be treated differently when I'm a hard working man or a poor old little guy with a 7 year old car. The reason why I work hard now, because once I'll be old (I feel like one now), I still want to be able to pay for my car repair, my grocery, utilities and a lollipop for my grand kid. If I won't be able to do it, that means I failed and society probably has nothing to do with it. If auto repair is a big rip off, then tell me what health care, a lawyer or perhaps a restaurant is? I have seen a hospital bill which included $17 for one single pill of Tylenol, while I can buy 30 for $5. Is it like a 10,000% profit? Restaurants serves you a $30 steak which you can buy for $8 in Sam's Club. The strange thing for me is when someone is in pain or has legal problems, they all want the best doctor or lawyer - regardless of price, but when it comes to car repair, most people try to find the cheapest shop / mechanic?? You will find different quality between shops, technicians, individuals and brake fluid. Beside strongly believing in capitalism, I'm also a human with morality and probably that's why I give a break for some old lady, collage kid or a single mom with 3 kids, or maybe that's why we still have clients who drops their car off for a repair with a blank check. Best regards Zee

I didnt ask, I was telling you. Nothing political..what are you talking about? Overcharging lawyers, doctors, hospitals and health insurance co's should all go to jail to. But trying to justify $ 100.00/hr for some "grease monkey" to work on a car is absurd. There is no parallel between car repair and someone's health or legal problems. There are dam few shops that demonstrate "morality". Like the poor old guy that was charged $1800.00 for a rebuilt transmission (his tran kept jumping out of gear when he accelerated) when the real problem was a broken motor mount worth $75.00 Anyway enough of this bs.

give it up Zee. you cant get through to him. Roy